Toddler tantrums and more (Toddler Stage in general)

Member Name: scoutingbargains

Product:	Toddler Stage in general
Date:	15/01/09 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing stage of development

Disadvantages: Messy, tiring & challenging at times

Well, the Toddler stage is definately more interesting, amusing and frustrating than I ever imagined!
My little bundle of fun is now approaching 18 mths of age & he started walking properly at 13 mths, running at 14 mths, running after the dog with a whacking bat poised & ready at 15 mths you get the idea. From his first birthday he has developed in every way possible. He understands much more now, thankfully. He understood NO at a young age as he would react by crying and screaming if you mearly mentioned NO. He now understands that he needs to put things away or in the bin (with alittle help some of the time), he reacts when we ask for a kiss or a cuddle, he waves goodbye/goodnight, he knows names now and he is generally starting to communicate verbally more.

He is starting to use a fork for his dinners but I think it's going to be a while before he can master this reliably. He can drink from a cup and at the same time wear the water which is fun, especially when it's a milkshake! His tastes are ever changing. He really enjoyed fruit for a while, now he's not so keen. It's the same with veg. One day I gave him pasta and the next time he gagged on it. I think he's just trying to experiment with different tastes & texures as when he spits things out I try and think of something new & different for him to try next time.

We're not at the stage of potty training yet although I don't think that it's going to be too long. At the moment he enjoys playing with toy balls in the potty as he can spin them around so it looks like a roulette ball. My only hope is that he forgets this trick for when he is using the potty properly! Eww!

My little boy is certainly full of spirit. He's an absolute angel behaviour wise most of the time but if he gets one on him he can be a monster! Throwing is a favourite along with hitting, biting when he's teething which is most of the time at the moment. On the positive side, he gives the best cuddles & kisses both to us & the dog who he adores. A couple of weeks back I caught him riding the dog holding both of his ears like a horses reins and he was 'woofing' like the dog says. Very amusing!

He has worked out that if he piles the sofa cushions on top of each other that he climb on them and then jump off from some height, has to be seen but it's scary at times. He can work the child locks on the cupboard doors, open doors (including the oven door) which now has a good lock on it!, the list is endless.

I take him to as many activity things as I can during the week as it wears him out a bit. He has great fun climbing, bouncing, sliding and swinging and it gives me a bit of time when we get home to get a couple of jobs done before he has re-charged his batteries again.

I've probably made the Toddler stage sound a nightmare, but those of you that are or have been though it will understand. It's a magical time but a blumming tiring time at times! I love the stage that my son is at now, no two days are the same & I love it and I love my son more than anything else in the world.

Summary: Be sad to leave this stage behind, then he'll be a proper big boy